Church to pay $1.75 million to father over son's abuse: lawyer

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An Illinois-based Catholic group agreed on Friday to pay $1.75 million to the father of a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly sexually abused by one of its priests in Florida after the two met in an Internet chatroom.
The Order of the Carmelites, a religious group known for its charitable work, will pay the money on behalf of Father William Wert, 52, who was accused of sexually assaulting the boy in late 2010 and early 2011, a lawyer for the boy's family said.
"It was sordid. It was just a parent's worst nightmare," Geoffrey Morris, the family's Venice-based attorney, told Reuters, after announcing the settlement of a civil suit filed by the family.
The Catholic Church has paid out some $3 billion to settle sexual abuse lawsuits, bankrupting some dioceses.
The family's attorney said the boy met Wert, who lived in a church-owned house in Venice, on an Internet chat website for gay teenagers.
The two met on several occasions, including at a hotel and golf course, according to Wendy Rose, a spokeswoman for the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. The boy spent the night at Wert's residence on at least three occasions, Morris said.
The child's father contacted the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office after finding inappropriate messages from Wert on his son's phone, Rose said.
Wert was arrested in February and faces criminal charges brought by the State of Florida of sex offense of a victim between the ages of 12 and 15 and lewd or lascivious battery of a victim aged 12 to 16.
His Catholic Order refused to post his $190,000 bail, Morris said. Calls to an attorney for the Illinois-based church were not immediately returned.

WTF why are they paying the father anything ?

The Father has suffered no damages ! The boy will never see benefit from that, in fact it seems that the boy willingly sought out and participated in this, which sounds like he did not have the kind of home life and support he should have had to begin with.

The scent of fresh cut grass is plants screaming.
Abolish Lawns and golf courses! Suppression of grasses is an inter-kingdom hate crime.
TAX TURF NOT EARTH

Outrage at friar's claims that it is often the teenage boys who seduce priests in religious sex abuse cases... and he calls Sandusky 'a poor guy'

Father Benedict Groeschel described Jerry Sandusky as a 'poor guy'

He said priests found guilty of abuse should not go to jail if it is their first offence

Father Benedict Groeschel has sparked outrage claiming it is often boys who seduce priests in religious sex abuse cases

A friar has sparked outrage after claiming it is often the boys who seduce priests in religious sexual abuse cases.

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Father Benedict Groeschel of the conservative Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, said he did not believe a priest found guilty of sexual absuse should go to jail if it was his first offence.He even went on to describe disgraced Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky as a 'poor guy'.

Father Groeschel, an influential voice in the American catholic community, has written several books and appears weekly on a religious television network.He said: 'People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to [be] a psychopath.

'But that s not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster  14, 16, 18  is the seducer.'He added: 'Here s this poor guy Sandusky it went on for years. Interesting: Why didn t anyone say anything? Apparently, a number of kids knew about it and didn t break the ice.

'Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime. It was a moral failure, scandalous; but they didn t think of it in terms of legal things.''If you go back 10 or 15 years ago with different sexual difficulties  except for rape or violence  it was very rarely brought as a civil crime.'

Asked to clarify his commenst he went on to suggest that most of these 'relationships' are heterosexual in nature, which historically have not been thought of as a crime.

He said: 'If you go back 10 or 15 years ago with different sexual difficulties  except for rape or violence  it was very rarely brought as a civil crime. Nobody thought of it that way.

'Sometimes statutory rape would be  but only if the girl pushed her case. Parents wouldn t touch it. People backed off, for years, on sexual cases. I m not sure why.'I think perhaps part of the reason would be an embarrassment, that it brings the case out into the open, and the girl s name is there, or people will figure out what s there, or the youngster involved  you know, it s not put in the paper, but everybody knows; they re talking about it.'At this point, any priest, any clergyman, any social worker, any teacher, any responsible person in society would become involved in a single sexual act  not necessarily intercourse  they re done.'And I m inclined to think, on their first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime.'But Father Groeschel's comments immediately prompted a string of angry posts.

'Poor guy': Father Groeschel suggested disgraced Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky was a victim

One anonymous writer raged: 'Those comments on abuse make me shiver. I really really hope he doesn't actually think the way he explained things in those answers.

'Jerry Sandusky is a monster and the image people have in their mind when his name comes up is that of an evil pervert committing unspeakable acts on an innocent 10 year old in a shower.'Another wrote: 'Comments like this about pedophilia take the biscuit. I am disgusted at what I have just read.'How dare this prominent priest accuse abuse victims of acting as seducers! You can NEVER justify or condone pedophilia. It is a disordered and depraved act. God forgive you for your comments!'Siginificantly The National Catholic Register is a publication affiliated with the disgraced Legion of Christ religious order.

The legion, which in 1995 helped saved the National Catholic Register from closing, was involved in one of the most damaging Catholic sexual abuse scandals of recent times.Its former leader, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, who had close links to Pope John Paul II, had been investigated for a string of sexual abuse claims since the mid 1950s.In 2005, the Vatican was dragged into disrepute after it emerged Maciel had been abusing seminarians for year.

New York State-based Groeschel founded the Trinity Retreat, which hot the headlines in 2006 after it emerged priests accused of sexually abusing children, were being given the option stay at the retreat under supervision.

A well-known Catholic priest who hosts a weekly religious television show said in an interview this week that child sex abusers are often seduced by teenage boys and should not go to jail on a first offense. But the comments were removed by the website that published them and replaced by an apology from the priest and the site's editors.The Rev. Benedict Groeschel, 79, who hosts a weekly show on the Catholic television network EWTN, originally made the comments in an interview with the National Catholic Register. He also referred to convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky as a "poor guy."

"People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to -- a psychopath. But that's not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster -- 14, 16, 18 -- is the seducer," Groeschel was quoted as saying in the interview, which is no longer available on the paper's website.

The interview has now been replaced by a statement from Fr. Benedict:"I apologize for my comments," it said. "I did not intend to blame the victim. A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible. My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be. I have spent my life trying to help others the best that I could. I deeply regret any harm I have caused to anyone."

Jeanette R. De Melo, the site's editor in chief, included her own apology for posting the interview.
"Child sexual abuse is never excusable," she wrote. "The editors of the National Catholic Register apologize for publishing without clarification or challenge Father Benedict Groeschel's comments that seem to suggest that the child is somehow responsible for abuse. Nothing could be further from the truth."

The interview, billed as a reflection on the 25 years since Groeschel founded the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal order, covered many topics, but Groeschel's comments on child sexual abuse brought it national attention.
"Well, it's not so hard to see. A kid looking for a father and didn't have his own -- and they won't be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping, but not having intercourse or anything like that. I's an understandable thing, and you know where you find it, among other clergy or important people; you look at teachers, attorneys, judges, social workers," Groeschel was quoted as saying.

Quotes from the interview remained posted on websites including the National Catholic Reporter, the Huffington Post, and the Catholic blog Renew America, all of which criticized Groeschel for the remarks.
Tom Roberts of the National Catholic Reporter called the comments "particularly disturbing" because of Groeschel's background in psychology. He received a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University.

"(The comments) cannot stand unchallenged," Roberts wrote.
Groeschel could not be reached for comment. Representatives for the National Catholic Register and EWTN did not immediately return calls for comment.
Groeschel had also commented on recently-convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State coach convicted of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period.

"Here's this poor guy -- Sandusky -- it went on for years. Interesting: Why didn't anyone say anything? Apparently, a number of kids knew about it and didn't break the ice. Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime. It was a moral failure, scandalous; but they didn't think of it in terms of legal things," Groeschel said.

He also said that he did not think priests or lay people should go to jail based on a first offense of sexual behavior with young children."At this point, (when) any priest, any clergyman, any social worker, any teacher, any responsible person in society would become involved in a single sexual act -- not necessarily intercourse -- they're done. And I'm inclined to think, on their first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime."

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."
Ben Franklin

"Well, it's not so hard to see. A kid looking for a father and didn't have his own -- and they won't be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping, but not having intercourse or anything like that. I's an understandable thing, and you know where you find it, among other clergy or important people; you look at teachers, attorneys, judges, social workers," Groeschel was quoted as saying.

Hmmm in my experience a young man might want someone to listen to them, respect their Ideas and show an interest in what and who they are, maybe even get a compliment or pat on the back, and even as much as a hug if they are going through something emotional But sleeping together Kissing I don't think so.
I would differentiate between a 10 to 15 year old and an older teen in what motives might be at play, a 16 or 17 year old very well might go on the prowl for sex with an older man that is not a part of his peer group. I can't Imagine them sexualizing their priest, a teacher or coach perhaps. It is the responsibility of the Adult to guide them away from inappropriate relations especially in case of authority figures.

I am reminded of the fashion marketing teacher who had sex with a student here in Flagler, I do think that was a two way street yet ultimately the teacher was wrong to let it happen.

Consent at 16 is realistic for some but not all teens and 18 is the law any adult that finds themselves in that situation should run it's not worth the trouble.

BUT the 10 year old that Sandusky was raping had none of that in mind that monster was using a child for sexual pleasure without any regard to his welfare. He deserves no mercy.

The scent of fresh cut grass is plants screaming.
Abolish Lawns and golf courses! Suppression of grasses is an inter-kingdom hate crime.
TAX TURF NOT EARTH